Visiting Uluru – also known as Ayers Rock — is a mesmerizing and unforgettable encounter, only made better by a luxury resort stay. Both quintessentially Australian and a unique, personal experience, this more than 300-million-year-old site on our Inspiring Australia tour will leave you longing to return Down Under. 

Your time in the Red Center will be enhanced by your stay at the award-winning, five-star Sails in the Desert Ayers Rock Resort. Among Uluru resorts, Sails in the Desert adds a dramatic and elegantly comfortable aspect to your visit to the red center of ustralia. 

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The Location 

Sails in the Desert is just a five-minute walk from Town Square. Here, you’ll find a post office supermarket and several casual dining options for your travel needs. But more importantly, Uluru and the domes of Kata Tjuta are 12 and 33 miles away, respectively. 

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Your Uluru Resort 

As you approach this Uluru luxury resort, staggered sweeping white sails let you know that you’re staying in an iconic setting. Inside, colorful carpets featuring modern indigenous colors and prints carry you through the hotel.  

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The rooms 

The Indigenous motif continues in the hotel’s 228 rooms. Your private retreat will soothe with natural tones and Indigenous artwork, artifacts and decorative accents depicting the local Anangu creation stories. Your balcony or patio invites you to take in the wonder of the desert, day or night. Terrace rooms offer a shaded oasis beneath the gum trees and the enchanting desert night sky. A decadent experience among Uluru hotels, the deluxe suite includes a separate living area, bedroom and multiple balconies as well as a spa bath and rainwater shower. 

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The spa 

For any guest seeking a bit of pampering, the onsite Red Ochre Spa is the perfect spot to rejuvenate your body and spirit after a day exploring Uluru. The newly upgraded rooms and facilities host a range of services that will surely tempt any guest of Australian luxury hotels. Power-boosting facials re-awaken the senses. Hands and feet massages provide focused attention. And massages offer a range of customized treatments including hand-picked essential oils blends to soothe the senses.  

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Cocktails and more 

Continue your pampering as you treat yourself to a refreshing cocktail infused with native ingredients or a light meal at Walpa Lobby Bar. The Pitjantjatjara name for wind, this casual setting is ideal for coffee, lunch, snacks or a pre-dinner drink or nightcap. The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, seafood and salads such as the Thai Papaya and Prawn or the Ancient Grains salad.  

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Local to international 

Savor local flavors with a modern twist at Ilkari Restaurant, named for the local Pitjantjatjara word for sky. Enjoy a buffet breakfast, complete with a customized dish from the egg and pancake live cooking station. As evening sets in, the buffet dinner tempts with salads, vegetables, antipasto, seafood, roasts and a grill selection highlighting Indigenous flavors. Enhance your meal with a regional wine. Then top it all off with a treat from the cascading chocolate fountain alongside an intercontinental selection of sweets.  

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Dining poolside 

You’ll surely work up an appetite after a cooling dip in the pool lined with lush gum trees. Pira Pool Bar, the name for the moon, is just the place to enjoy a casual bite or cocktail in your lounger. Dine on a selection of shared plates including oysters and scallops, tapas, desserts and handcrafted cocktails. 

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Indigenous flavors 

While staying at Sails in the Desert, don’t miss your opportunity to join in the complimentary Bush Food Experience. Located in the Arkani Theater, just a few minutes’ walk from your hotel, this 45-minute program will introduce you to the local bounty of the land. Learn about Australian and local bush tucker and how local Indigenous people hunted, gathered and prepared these foods. Then watch a cooking demonstration. 

An eye for art 

While stunning Uluru is just a short drive away, you don’t have to step outside your hotel to take in one-of-a-kind Indigenous art at the Mulgara Gallery. Located in the foyer, this airy space showcases Australian hand-crafted glassware, pottery, textiles, metal and leather work. Admire the glasswork of internationally renowned artist Chris Pantano. View the Central Desert dot painting from Papunya and Mt Allen, as well as colorful body art from Utopia. The gallery also displays artifacts including didgeridoos, rain sticks and other tribal instruments. A collection of Australian Opal and colored diamond jewelry dazzles with its inspiration drawn from the land and sea. 

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A grand scale 

From detailed dot paintings to iconic Uluru, Sails in the Desert acquaints you with sites from the small to the epic. On your Inspiring Australia journey, you’ll take a guided walk through the domes of Kata Tjuṯa Walpa Gorge where you’ll learn the cultural significance of Kata Tjuṯa’s ancient rocky domes. Then, bask in your first views of Uluru at sunset over sparkling wine and canapes. A memorable ending in a memorable place. 

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What other elegant hotels will you stay in with Luxury Gold? 

When it comes to exquisite hotels, you’ll be talking about the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel in Peru for a lifetime. Much more than culture and fabulous Inca ruins, Peru is a land of legends, wildlife and ancient vows. And at this Machu Picchu Hotel, you’re invited into a storybook world. Set high in the Cloud Forest, in its own intimate Andean village, with terraced hills and waterfalls, be prepared for the most incredible stay.

Discover this on: Treasures of the Incas

The mystical Cloud Forest

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The Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is set in 12 acres of natural Cloud Forest beauty.  With their own unique ecosystems, Cloud Forests are both beautiful and bountiful. These tropical forests prominently feature a layer of dense fog at the canopy level. The result is a heavy mist around the treetops at all times, hence the name Cloud Forest.

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Ethereal and mystical, the heavy fog both filters the sunlight and provides the underlying foliage with a source of moisture. This in turn creates an environment attractive to mosses and ferns and tends to be humid and boggy. In Peru especially, a staggering number of species thrive in cloud forests. This includes thousands of orchids, hummingbirds and a wealth of flora and fauna that has yet to be discovered.

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The grounds of the Inkaterra Hotel Machu Picchu are home to 214 bird species, including the golden-headed quetzal and the iconic Andean cock-of-the-rock. The forest is also home to the world’s largest native orchid collection, with 372 registered species.

Related content: How your travels with Luxury Gold help conserve nature for future generations

An exceptional hotel

Perfectly located for those heading to the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu, the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is an exquisite retreat. Step into another world in this rainforest, bursting with terraced hills, waterfalls and stone pathways. The complex features 83 whitewashed “adobe casitas” tucked away in the cloud forest, for an unreal setting you’ve likely never experienced before.

Related content: Why New Orleans’ Ritz Carlton is a cut above the rest

Feel the outside inside

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Beautiful rooms and suites offer the perfect sanctuary for simple relaxation and here at the hotel, personalized comfort is assured. Decorated with local crafts and eucalyptus beams and a colonial style wardrobe, you will feel at one with your surroundings. Enjoy robes, Andean slippers crafted from recycled materials, plus environmentally friendly toiletries. If treating yourself to a suite you can also enjoy an outdoor shower, plunge pool, day bed and luxurious marble bathrooms.

Related content: In 2022, why do we crave the golden era of travel more than ever before

The incredible Unu Spa

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The Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel’s sumptuous spa combines classic nurturing with a mystical Andean approach. Treatments use 100% natural products derived from local botanical extracts, such as mint, eucalyptus and of course the famous orchids. Providing a spiritual, sensual and soothing experience, Unu Spa means water in Quechua. Treat yourselves to a deep tissue exfoliation with sacred coca leaves or rejuvenate with facial hydration, hot stones and foot therapy. Guests can also relax and steam away any cares in the Andean sauna.

Related content: 6 of the best spas you can visit with Luxury Gold

Exceptional dining

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Situated between the Machu Picchu train tracks, the hotel’s acclaimed restaurant Café Inkaterra serves delicious fare under a traditional Amazonian palm-thatched roof, surrounded by regional crafts. The restaurant and adjacent terraces were built as a large glass house with an exceptional view of the Vilcanota River and the surrounding green mountains. A creative menu blends Andean cuisine with a contemporary approach, creating innovative fusion-style fare. The perfect place to unwind, far from the crowds, and share the secrets of Peruvian cuisine with a contemporary twist.

The delights of Peruvian cuisine

A magnificent melody of flavors, Peruvian food is often referred to as Criolla or Creole food because of the blend of Spanish, Asian, Incan and other European cuisine influences which are integrated into the recipes. Ingredients are based heavily on potatoes, beans, rice, beef, eggs, lamb, fish, corn, chicken and especially the Aji, or chili. Perhaps most famous (and exquisite) is Peru’s national dish Ceviche. When in Peru we also recommend trying the Lomo Saltado (stir fried beef) and Papas a la Huancaina (potatoes in spicy cheese sauce).

Related content: Mind the culture gap: The chefs who make worlds collide through food

The perfect base from which to explore Machu Picchu

One of the most sought-after destinations on earth and one of the most mystical, Machu Picchu stands proudly at 2,430 m above sea-level, in the middle of a lush tropical mountain forest. The Lost City of the Incas was rediscovered by American historian Hiram Bingham in 1911 after being forgotten for centuries. Now a famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, much of its history and purpose remains a mystery even to historians.

Within this sprawling ancient citadel are famous sites including the Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Three Windows. Here you’ll also find the Temple of the Condor, the Sun Gate and the Intihuatana rock, believed to be an ancient sun clock. Easily accessed by train, your first-class seats and panoramic windows make for sublime views en route to Machu Picchu village. Arrive before the day trippers and join your expert guide for an exclusive and fascinating journey back in time.

Discover this on: Treasures of the Incas

 Read more: 7 experiences to stir your soul in Latin America

 To enjoy the delights of the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel for yourself, take a look at our Treasures of the Incas luxury guided tour.

Sophistication, glamour and endless possibilities, the “golden era of travel” conjures up nostalgic emotions. And, after a period of enforced abstinence, we are craving the elegance and extravagance more and more.

We take a look into why we crave a new golden era of travel so much, and how you can experience it once again with Luxury Gold.

The Golden Era of Travel

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The period from the 1950s to the 1970s was fondly remembered for its glamor and luxury.

With the birth of commercial air travel came an endless world of possibility and wonder. Complete with cocktail lounges, five course meals and caviar served from ice sculptures, these dreams were fueled with an endless flow of champagne.  The timeless elegance of train travel was revered, with its opulent carriages, exclusive encounters and exceptional dining.

Travel was comfortable and spacious, and guests were lavished with personal attention with no ask too great.

Our yearning today

With the resurgence of travel comes a craving for the nostalgia, elegance and extravagance of golden era travel. And with more money to spend in the ultimate vacation, luxury travelers are looking for something extra special. 86% of respondents to the American Express Travel Global Travel Trends Report said they would spend more or the same on travel in 2022 compared to a typical year before the pandemic. And 65% of respondents agree they would rather take their dream vacation than purchase a new car.

 Read more: 5 benefits of visiting iconic tourist hotspots after hours

A renewed need to spread our wings

Restrictions due to the pandemic placed a curb in what most of us hold so dear, the freedom to move around. For travelers this inability to seek new experiences and discover new lands left many feeling empty and unfulfilled. Leaving time to get nostalgic and to foster even greater expectations.

For many of us travel is an expression, an extension of ourselves, as well as a treat and a break from everyday life. According to the Amex 2022 Global Travel Trends Report, looking beyond the pandemic, travelers are eager to experience the dream destinations they have not previously visited. In fact, 55% of respondents agreed they wanted to book a once-in-a-lifetime vacation this year.

Read more: Meet the Michelin star chef putting his stamp on the Orient-Express menu

Our craving for elegance

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The golden era of travel evokes a picture of elegance and sophistication. As we are able to explore once again, we are yearning for more exquisite hotels, exceptional dining and the very best service every step of the way. When considering why we crave travel, we want to picture ourselves again in the cocktail lounges, being waited on hand and foot, surrounded by opulence and the promise of endless possibilities.

From boutique properties to magnificent castles, at Luxury Gold we understand the craving for excellent and hand select the most exquisite hotels. Guaranteeing exceptional service and the very best amenities, every night is a delight. With multiple night stays at many properties, there is also time to relax in luxurious spas, play a round of golf or simply admire your magnificent surroundings.

Read more: Where the wilderness and luxury combine: Step inside the Lion Sands Game Reserve

The timeless lure of train travel

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The Golden Age of luxury train travel evokes old-world images of opulent carriages, mahogany-lined cars, and slow-moving scenery at your fingertips. Nowadays the world’s 5-star train journeys are elevating the experience, with everything from personal butlers and Michelin-star dining to luxury suites with bathtubs and marble floors.

If you are nostalgic for the romance of train travel, take a look at our limited edition luxury train journeys. Step onboard and back in time for some very special train tours across Europe, South Africa and North America, where we partner with luxurious trains that perfectly complement our guided tours.

Read more: 7 of the world’s most luxurious train journeys

Unforgettable encounters

When thinking back to the golden era of travel we remember the thrill of the promise of exclusive encounters. A chance meeting or a pre-arranged rendezvous at glamorous locations across the globe. For today’s traveler, the experience is about much more than meets the eye. 70% of respondents to the Amex Survey stated they were interested in cultural immersion on future trips. These once-in-a-lifetime experiences offer a glimpse behind the curtain, into another world and shine a unique, unforgettable light on your destination.

And for the most exclusive of encounters, take a look at the Luxury Gold Chairman’s Collection. Often one of the most rewarding aspects of travel is the people we meet. These cherished interactions forge an unforgettable connection with a destination and create lasting memories. Discover exquisite gardens with a Duchess, meet an Austrian Princess and dine with Italian nobility.

Read more: Royalty and Noblemen: The fascinating people you’ll meet in Europe with Luxury Gold

The new era is a responsible era

However much we crave the nostalgia, elegance and extravagance of the past, we know that the new golden era of travel comes a strong sense of responsibility. Virtuoso recently released a white paper “Conscious Comeback: Influencing a Sustainable and Regenerative Future for the Travel & Tourism Industry.” which showed that over 80% of respondents feel that the pandemic has made them want to travel more responsibly in the future. Luxury travelers are willing to pay more for sustainable experiences and are becoming increasingly conscious of their role in protecting the planet, communities and wildlife.

Through our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences know that you are looking forwards and helping preserve our planet for future generations. From meeting the ladies of the Pink City Rickshaw in Jaipur to learning about the conservation efforts taking place at the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland, you can crave the thrill of the past whilst contributing to a better world in the future.

Read more: Alternative dining and CO2 absorbing aprons: welcome to Fotografiska

 If you are looking to embrace a new golden era of travel, then take a look at our exclusive worldwide collection of luxury guided tours.